Women in Engineering Ghana (WinE- Ghana) has put together a proposal to re-engineer markets in Ghana for Covid-19 period and beyond. This proposal has been submitted to the Ministers of Local Government, Water Resources and Sanitation and Gender.

 Members selected three markets in Ghana of which Ejisu market in the Ashanti Region was part to donate nose masks, Veronica buckets, sanitisers, soaps, tissue papers, and palm baskets and educate market women on COVID-19 preventive measures and food hygiene.

The proposal details how the current situation at the markets could be improved in terms of sanitation, infrastructure, food hygiene and places of convenience.

 ‘’We realise that the current situation within the market needs to be drastically improved. Our studies in around the country showed that the markets are poorly planned, maintained and unclean. The Markets with state-of-the-art infrastructure are not maintained and quickly deteriorate after construction’’, explains an executive member of WinE-Ghana, Ing. Naa Lamkai Quaye-Ballard.

She believes implementation of these sustainable steps will protect traders during and after covid-19.

The proposal requested a proactive action at implementing the right, acceptable, hygienic and sustainable measures towards making markets in Ghana safe, clean, hygienic, and well-organized will go a longer way to impact the health and longevity of Ghanaians.

The association has established a technical advisory group consisting of engineers in various fields to offer professional and technical advice for re-engineer the country’s market centres.

WinE- Ghana proposes specific short-term measures, including the establishment of satellite markets and food banks to provide acceptable measures to curtail the Covid-19 pandemic.

The proposal also recommended that traders must not be allowed to sell outside the designated market area. Creation of satellite markets to accommodate extra traders where markets are full. In addition, WinE- Ghana advises the government to roll out programmes to empower low-income women to contribute to building a healthier society.

“Sustaining a healthier society should be the priority of government and policymakers, thus, re-engineering our markets will be of utmost priority.

“A better market operations is a means to achieving the SDGs,” she

pointed out.

The delegation donated personal protective equipment and other anti-Covid-19 materials to the market women and educated them on ways to prevent the spread of the virus.

They handed locally made palm baskets, especially to traders to use to display food items instead of the bare floor.

Queen mother of Ejisu, Nana Yaa Asantewaa the second thanked the association for the gesture.

She admonished the Municipal Assembly to ensure the traders observe the government’s directive on social distancing.

Nana Yaa Asantewaa led the team to distribute the items to the traders.